Sex and the city: Mayor to start rehab

Beleaguered Mayor Bob Filner is scheduled to begin two weeks of intensive therapy Monday at an undisclosed clinic to address his inappropriate sexual behavior toward women and while he’s gone the city will continue to pick up trash, the libraries will open on time and the scandal enveloping San Diego won’t be going away.

Filner won’t be ceding any authority during his self-imposed therapy sessions and plans to be briefed each morning and night on civic affairs and give direction to city staff.

The mayor’s decision to remain in charge while seeking treatment has drawn criticism from those who have urged him to resign amid the sexual harassment scandal, but from a practical standpoint the city will continue to operate as it normally would as if Filner were on vacation. Walt Ekard, the city’s interim chief operating officer, will be running city operations as he has since Filner appointed him July 15 shortly after the scandal broke.

Yes
88% (1514)

No
12% (200)

1714 total votes.

City Council President Todd Gloria, a former Filner supporter who has called on him to resign, said this won’t be the first time Filner has disappeared without informing his fellow elected officials as to his exact whereabouts. In June, Filner took an unannounced six-day trip to France and his staff refused to acknowledge he was out of the country.

“We carried on,” Gloria said. “As a practical matter, I believe Mr. Ekard has been authorized to do a fair amount of stuff, most of it. But again the public didn’t elect Mr. Ekard. It continually underlines why this guy really needs to reconsider his ability to lead the city and do the right thing and resign.”

As for seeking treatment while leading the city at the same time, Gloria said, “He can’t do both well.”

Lee Burdick, the mayor’s new chief of staff, said she doesn’t expect anything to change other than Filner’s schedule has been cleared. She said his staff will take his meetings instead and keep him updated on a daily basis.

“The one thing I want people to know is that the city’s business is moving forward,” Burdick said. “The idea that somehow the potholes aren’t getting filled and the streetlights aren’t being replaced because the mayor is taking time off during the (City) Council’s recess, I just think is misleading. I want the citizens to know that they have dedicated public servants who are working on their behalf and that we are continuing to move the city forward in a very progressive way.”

Filner has been under siege for nearly four weeks after former political allies leveled allegations that he sexually harassed numerous unidentified women. Nine women have since come forward to accuse Filner of inappropriate sexual behavior and unwanted advances, including kisses, groping and derogatory comments.

Filner has issued two public apologies and then he said he would seek professional help.

“I will be entering a behavior counseling clinic to undergo two weeks of intensive therapy to begin the process of addressing my behavior,” Filner said on July 26. “During this time period, I will be at the clinic full-time, though every morning and evening I will be briefed on city activities. This intensive counseling will just be the first step in what will be a continuing program that will involve ongoing regular counseling. I must become a better person, and my hope is that by becoming a better person, I put myself in a position to someday be forgiven.”